<p>Mattias Ekholm has been a near-perfect fit with the Edmonton Oilers since he arrived in Oil Country in 2023.</p>
<p></p>
<p>We’ve heard time and time again how players don’t want to come to Edmonton because of the cold, wintery nights, but Ekholm is one of those unique players who openly has said <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/how-ekholm-and-family-have-really-come-to-embrace-edmonton-as-home/">how much he and his family have embraced Edmonton</a> winters because they remind him of Sweden, noting that his family has taken full advantage of skiing, hockey, and winter fun that feels like part of their DNA.</p>
<p>On top of that, he’s been an absolute stud since the Oilers traded for him, as <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-wants-contract-extension-edmonton-oilers-lets-talk-term">Baggedmilk recently summed up</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Mattias Ekholm has been nothing short of a rock defensively, a calming presence, a smooth passer, and an absolute gift to this team when they needed more stability on the back end.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Yet, after suffering what we now know was a torn abductor, the usually steady D-man didn’t quite look like himself in the seven playoff games he played last season. That raises a big question: can Ekholm get back to the steady and at times dominant level he’s mostly shown during his time in Edmonton? Below, we take a look at what a successful 2025-26 campaign would look like for the 35-year-old blueliner.</p>
<h2>A 30-Point Campaign</h2>
<p>In his first full season with the Oilers in 2023-24, Ekholm registered 45 points in 79 games (0.57 PPG), and last season, he tallied 33 points in 65 games (0.51 PPG). Based on those numbers, if he plays a full season, a successful campaign points-wise would see him put up at least 40 points. However, the injury he was dealing with late last season should raise some concerns, as the torn abductor clearly limited his mobility, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-wants-contract-extension-edmonton-oilers-lets-talk-term">having said</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>“It’s a tough injury when you’re trying to skate. “It was tough just because you’re more out there to survive than maybe creating something or actually playing your game. The first couple of games, you’re so mentally into it, and then after a couple of games, I wouldn’t say you lose it, but it becomes more normal again. It was definitely a challenge that I’ve never had before in my career. … but no excuse for it, I decided to play.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Ekholm played the bulk of the games he was referring to against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, and despite<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-mattias-ekholm-reveals-injury-from-playoffs"> grinding through a torn abductor</a>, he still managed to put up six points (1G, 5A) in seven playoff games. Yet, points don’t tell the whole story — by the eye test, Ekholm looked like he was struggling to get to pucks and defend and wasn’t the ‘Steady Ekky’ we’re used to seeing.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">MATTIAS EKHOLM HAS HIS FIRST OF THE PLAYOFFS!! <a href="https://t.co/v79ye0WyXK">pic.twitter.com/v79ye0WyXK</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1930451628584312950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>However, hopefully, he was able to recover this past offseason and can get back to the standard of play he’s used to. But Father Time can slow healing, and at 35, it&#8217;s reasonable to believe that he might not fully reach that level. Additionally, if age or health becomes a factor, he may even drop down from his usual spot on the first pairing with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-evan-bouchard-ranked-among-nhls-best-defencemen">Evan Bouchard</a> — where they’ve been dominant at times — to one of the bottom two pairs.</p>
<p>Considering his health and age, I’m comfortable saying that a minimum 30-point campaign should be a conservative estimate for the Swedish defender and could still be seen as a successful season. On the other hand, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/more-questions-than-answers-edmonton-oilers-potential-extension-mattias-ekholm">with this being a contract year</a> and a little extra motivation in the tank, a 40+ point season still isn’t out of the question by any means.</p>
<h2>Continue Steadying the Oilers&#8217; Blue Line with Strong Analytics</h2>
<p>A lot of the steadiness Ekholm brings to the lineup is measured by the eye test — die-hard Oilers fans can tell when the blueliner is ‘feeling it.’ He’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/5-random-thoughts-ahead-edmonton-oilers-2025-26-nhl-season">shutting down entries into the Oilers’ zone</a>, winning board battles, making a crisp first pass, and holding his ground in front of the net.</p>
<p>That said, the D-man&#8217;s reliable play, as seen on the eye test, aligns well with his advanced analytics also. Among blueliners in the NHL who played at least 400 minutes at 5v5 last season, Ekholm ranked as follows according to <em>Natural Stat Trick</em>:</p>
<p>• 1st in shots-for percentage (59.95 SF%)<br />
• 1st in high-danger chances for percentage (58.51 HDCF%)<br />
• 3rd in Corsi for percentage (59.76 CF%)<br />
• 3rd in scoring chances for percentage (58.67 SCF%)</p>
<p>Touching on one of those metrics, the 59.76 CF% Ekholm posted last season means the Oilers were attempting nearly 60% of all shots while he was on the ice — a clear sign he helps tilt the ice in Edmonton’s favour. That high CF% alludes to the fact that when he’s on the ice, he’s driving possession, moving the puck cleanly out of the zone, and putting pressure on the opposition in their end more than half the time.</p>
<p>Even if the blueline Viking’s point totals drop this upcoming season, strong advanced analytics would show that the Swedish D-man is still providing his signature steadiness, and he’ll be counted on to deliver those impressive metrics, where he’s been among the NHL leaders the past couple of seasons, once again.</p>
<h2>Continue Being a Leader for the Oilers on and off the Ice</h2>
<p>I can’t imagine it’s easy for a player to join a team with superstar talent like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-start-more-important-if-mcdavid-starts-season-unsigned">Connor McDavid</a> and Leon Draisaitl, and still step up in interviews by being so candid and to the point, while also defending teammates in the media spotlight. Yet, the 35-year-old blueliner has done exactly that since day one of repping the orange and blue silks, which speaks volumes about his confidence and leadership, and there are a few recent examples that really stand out to me.</p>
<p>After the Oilers lost  <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-vs-florida-panthers-game-7-a-tactical-review">Game 7</a> to the Panthers in 2024, McDavid and Draisaitl received some criticism for not producing as expected in the final few games, and Ekholm had his teammates’ backs in an interview afterward, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-is-hungry-for-revenge-it-burns-and-gnaws-at-me">saying</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>“It was quite ironic because we had a guy who broke one of Wayne Gretzky’s records in the playoffs. For him to then be criticized for not delivering… Sure, I understand that he didn’t score in the last two games or whatever it was, but we would never have been in the Stanley Cup final without those two.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Additionally, in the Oilers’ first game back after the Four Nations Faceoff last season, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-56-0-sleepy-oilers-fall-to-flyers-as-savoie-shines-in-debut">they lost 6-3 against the Philadelphia Flyers</a>. When the blueliner was asked what he would say to people who thought goaltending was the team’s biggest issue in the game, Ekholm had his goaltender, Stuart Skinner’s back, saying, &#8220;They should probably rewatch the game and see where the problems started. I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s a goalie in the league that would have saved many of those.”</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Asked Mattias Ekholm what he would say to people who thought goaltending was the Oilers biggest issue today. </p>
<p>“That they should probably rewatch the game and see where the problems started. I don&#39;t think there&#39;s a goalie in the league that would have saved many of those.”</p>
<p>&mdash; Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsnetSpec/status/1893418726826897673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Moreover, after last season’s loss to the Panthers in the Cup Final for the second year in a row, Ekholm responded to the media while searching for answers. He avoided pinpointing blame on any specific players or positions (like goalies or scorers), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXIYb4A4xHM">saying</a>, “It&#8217;s a team thing. It&#8217;s a team sport; that’s what this is.” He added, “We win as a team and we lose as a team.”</p>
<p>All in all, Ekholm has been the complete package on the blue line, including being a vocal leader, which helps keep the locker room tight. This upcoming season, especially with veterans like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/corey-perry-talks-leaving-edmonton-oilers-joining-la-kings">Corey Perry</a> and Evander Kane gone — players who usually face tough questions — Ekholm might have to take on an even bigger role in that department as well. And who knows, with a McDavid extension still unsigned at the time of this writing, it might be the big veteran Swede fielding the tough questions, if the extension remains unsigned, to help keep the calm in Oil Country.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Article Presented by The Alberta Teachers&#8217; Association</h2>
<div><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176306" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/ATA-2025-SUMMER-Nation-727x404_v4.jpg" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/ATA-2025-SUMMER-Nation-727x404_v4.jpg 727w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/ATA-2025-SUMMER-Nation-727x404_v4-300x167.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" /></div>
<p>Alberta school boards have the least to spend per student on public education in Canada. This chronic underfunding has left schools in crisis. Classrooms are overcrowded, student needs unmet, and support is at an all-time low. Record numbers of teachers are leaving due to worsening conditions. As proud Albertans, we can’t stand by while government policies continue to neglect education. Our schools urgently need your help. We must demand increased funding and resources to support students and educators. Want to make a difference for Albertans everywhere? Demand answers from your MLA. Our kids deserve better. It’s time to stop the excuses.  Visit <a href="http://www.stoptheexcuses.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.stoptheexcuses.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749136640784000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ikKjrHfECp312CuUx70xs">www.stoptheexcuses.ca</a></p>

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm

Mattias Ekholm has been a near-perfect fit with the Edmonton Oilers since he arrived in Oil Country in 2023.



We’ve heard time and time again how players don’t want to come to Edmonton because of the cold, wintery nights, but Ekholm is one of those unique players who openly has said <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/how-ekholm-and-family-have-really-come-to-embrace-edmonton-as-home/">how much he and his family have embraced Edmonton</a> winters because they remind him of Sweden, noting that his family has taken full advantage of skiing, hockey, and winter fun that feels like part of their DNA.

On top of that, he’s been an absolute stud since the Oilers traded for him, as <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-wants-contract-extension-edmonton-oilers-lets-talk-term">Baggedmilk recently summed up</a>:
<blockquote>“Mattias Ekholm has been nothing short of a rock defensively, a calming presence, a smooth passer, and an absolute gift to this team when they needed more stability on the back end.”</blockquote>
Yet, after suffering what we now know was a torn abductor, the usually steady D-man didn’t quite look like himself in the seven playoff games he played last season. That raises a big question: can Ekholm get back to the steady and at times dominant level he’s mostly shown during his time in Edmonton? Below, we take a look at what a successful 2025-26 campaign would look like for the 35-year-old blueliner.
<h2>A 30-Point Campaign</h2>
In his first full season with the Oilers in 2023-24, Ekholm registered 45 points in 79 games (0.57 PPG), and last season, he tallied 33 points in 65 games (0.51 PPG). Based on those numbers, if he plays a full season, a successful campaign points-wise would see him put up at least 40 points. However, the injury he was dealing with late last season should raise some concerns, as the torn abductor clearly limited his mobility, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-wants-contract-extension-edmonton-oilers-lets-talk-term">having said</a>:
<blockquote>“It’s a tough injury when you’re trying to skate. “It was tough just because you’re more out there to survive than maybe creating something or actually playing your game. The first couple of games, you’re so mentally into it, and then after a couple of games, I wouldn’t say you lose it, but it becomes more normal again. It was definitely a challenge that I’ve never had before in my career. … but no excuse for it, I decided to play.”</blockquote>
Ekholm played the bulk of the games he was referring to against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, and despite<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-mattias-ekholm-reveals-injury-from-playoffs"> grinding through a torn abductor</a>, he still managed to put up six points (1G, 5A) in seven playoff games. Yet, points don’t tell the whole story — by the eye test, Ekholm looked like he was struggling to get to pucks and defend and wasn’t the ‘Steady Ekky’ we’re used to seeing.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1930451628584312950

However, hopefully, he was able to recover this past offseason and can get back to the standard of play he’s used to. But Father Time can slow healing, and at 35, it's reasonable to believe that he might not fully reach that level. Additionally, if age or health becomes a factor, he may even drop down from his usual spot on the first pairing with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-evan-bouchard-ranked-among-nhls-best-defencemen">Evan Bouchard</a> — where they’ve been dominant at times — to one of the bottom two pairs.

Considering his health and age, I’m comfortable saying that a minimum 30-point campaign should be a conservative estimate for the Swedish defender and could still be seen as a successful season. On the other hand, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/more-questions-than-answers-edmonton-oilers-potential-extension-mattias-ekholm">with this being a contract year</a> and a little extra motivation in the tank, a 40+ point season still isn’t out of the question by any means.
<h2>Continue Steadying the Oilers' Blue Line with Strong Analytics</h2>
A lot of the steadiness Ekholm brings to the lineup is measured by the eye test — die-hard Oilers fans can tell when the blueliner is ‘feeling it.’ He’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/5-random-thoughts-ahead-edmonton-oilers-2025-26-nhl-season">shutting down entries into the Oilers’ zone</a>, winning board battles, making a crisp first pass, and holding his ground in front of the net.

That said, the D-man's reliable play, as seen on the eye test, aligns well with his advanced analytics also. Among blueliners in the NHL who played at least 400 minutes at 5v5 last season, Ekholm ranked as follows according to <em>Natural Stat Trick</em>:

• 1st in shots-for percentage (59.95 SF%)
• 1st in high-danger chances for percentage (58.51 HDCF%)
• 3rd in Corsi for percentage (59.76 CF%)
• 3rd in scoring chances for percentage (58.67 SCF%)

Touching on one of those metrics, the 59.76 CF% Ekholm posted last season means the Oilers were attempting nearly 60% of all shots while he was on the ice — a clear sign he helps tilt the ice in Edmonton’s favour. That high CF% alludes to the fact that when he’s on the ice, he’s driving possession, moving the puck cleanly out of the zone, and putting pressure on the opposition in their end more than half the time.

Even if the blueline Viking’s point totals drop this upcoming season, strong advanced analytics would show that the Swedish D-man is still providing his signature steadiness, and he’ll be counted on to deliver those impressive metrics, where he’s been among the NHL leaders the past couple of seasons, once again.
<h2>Continue Being a Leader for the Oilers on and off the Ice</h2>
I can’t imagine it’s easy for a player to join a team with superstar talent like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-start-more-important-if-mcdavid-starts-season-unsigned">Connor McDavid</a> and Leon Draisaitl, and still step up in interviews by being so candid and to the point, while also defending teammates in the media spotlight. Yet, the 35-year-old blueliner has done exactly that since day one of repping the orange and blue silks, which speaks volumes about his confidence and leadership, and there are a few recent examples that really stand out to me.

After the Oilers lost  <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-vs-florida-panthers-game-7-a-tactical-review">Game 7</a> to the Panthers in 2024, McDavid and Draisaitl received some criticism for not producing as expected in the final few games, and Ekholm had his teammates’ backs in an interview afterward, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/mattias-ekholm-is-hungry-for-revenge-it-burns-and-gnaws-at-me">saying</a>:
<blockquote>“It was quite ironic because we had a guy who broke one of Wayne Gretzky’s records in the playoffs. For him to then be criticized for not delivering… Sure, I understand that he didn’t score in the last two games or whatever it was, but we would never have been in the Stanley Cup final without those two.”</blockquote>
Additionally, in the Oilers’ first game back after the Four Nations Faceoff last season, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-56-0-sleepy-oilers-fall-to-flyers-as-savoie-shines-in-debut">they lost 6-3 against the Philadelphia Flyers</a>. When the blueliner was asked what he would say to people who thought goaltending was the team’s biggest issue in the game, Ekholm had his goaltender, Stuart Skinner’s back, saying, "They should probably rewatch the game and see where the problems started. I don't think there's a goalie in the league that would have saved many of those.”

https://twitter.com/SportsnetSpec/status/1893418726826897673

Moreover, after last season’s loss to the Panthers in the Cup Final for the second year in a row, Ekholm responded to the media while searching for answers. He avoided pinpointing blame on any specific players or positions (like goalies or scorers), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXIYb4A4xHM">saying</a>, “It's a team thing. It's a team sport; that’s what this is.” He added, “We win as a team and we lose as a team.”

All in all, Ekholm has been the complete package on the blue line, including being a vocal leader, which helps keep the locker room tight. This upcoming season, especially with veterans like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/corey-perry-talks-leaving-edmonton-oilers-joining-la-kings">Corey Perry</a> and Evander Kane gone — players who usually face tough questions — Ekholm might have to take on an even bigger role in that department as well. And who knows, with a McDavid extension still unsigned at the time of this writing, it might be the big veteran Swede fielding the tough questions, if the extension remains unsigned, to help keep the calm in Oil Country.

<hr />

<h2>Article Presented by The Alberta Teachers' Association</h2>
<div><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176306" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/ATA-2025-SUMMER-Nation-727x404_v4.jpg" alt="" width="727" height="404" /></div>
Alberta school boards have the least to spend per student on public education in Canada. This chronic underfunding has left schools in crisis. Classrooms are overcrowded, student needs unmet, and support is at an all-time low. Record numbers of teachers are leaving due to worsening conditions. As proud Albertans, we can’t stand by while government policies continue to neglect education. Our schools urgently need your help. We must demand increased funding and resources to support students and educators. Want to make a difference for Albertans everywhere? Demand answers from your MLA. Our kids deserve better. It’s time to stop the excuses.  Visit <a href="http://www.stoptheexcuses.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.stoptheexcuses.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749136640784000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ikKjrHfECp312CuUx70xs">www.stoptheexcuses.ca</a>

What does a successful 2025-26 season look like for Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm?

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